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Argentina MotoGP remains in doubt

Published:
31 October 2012

A political storm involving Repsol – one of the most high profile sponsors in the MotoGP paddock – continues to seriously threaten Argentina’s bid to be back on the calendar next season for the first time since 1999.

The new Autodromo de Rio Hondo is pencilled in to host round two of the 2013 world championship on April 14, but the race remains in jeopardy.

An advisory from the Spanish government warning against Repsol staff and associates from travelling to Argentina remains in place after the Argentinian government nationalised Repsol YPF, the Argentinian subsidiary of the Spanish oil company.

A MotoGP race certainly won’t take place without Repsol-backed HRC duo Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez competing, while a host of Moto2 and Moto3 teams and riders also have an association with the Spanish oil giant.

Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta told MCN recently that a final decision on whether the Argentina race would go ahead would need to be taken by the end of November.

He said: “There is no change since the letter came from the Spanish government issued before Assen that they don’t recommend the people of Repsol go to Argentina. When we published the provisional calendar we sent another letter to the Argentina organisation and said the situation is still like this, and for that reason we haven’t put you on the calendar. We have still not had any changes to date.”

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